


Insomnia

by mayawrites95 (mayarox95)



Series: Wish Upon A Star [188]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Insomnia, Sharing a Bed, Story, Underworld
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-11
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-06-01 13:48:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6522256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayarox95/pseuds/mayawrites95
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma is having issues sleeping. Killian tells her a story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Insomnia

She hasn’t slept in any of the days they’ve been in the underworld. Not truly. At first she thought it was because of Killian was gone, or that the chances of saving him were minimal. But then he found hope and decided he was willing to fight for another chance at life, another chance for them.

Yet the lack sleep plagued her. Any moment her eyes closed, she was met with flashes of her loved ones, dead and lifeless. And it was always her fault.

The seed of worry was planted deep inside her and she felt her worry grow as she tried to find hope and courage. It was supposed to get better. She was supposed to feel safe.

But she still felt as alone as ever. And it was so unfair.

She hadn’t always been the best daughter. She pushed her parents away so often, afraid they were going to hurt her inadvertently. She brought her son to the underworld. She caused her brother to be alone so many times since the moment of his birth. She had even ripped Robin and Regina from Roland, and their daughter.

“Emma,” Killian said softly as he knocked at the door. “I saw your light on, Love. What are you still doing up?”

“I can’t sleep,” she mumbled, as he sat at the edge of the bed. “I keep seeing everyone I love, hurt and broken. And I don’t want to see that, Killian. I can’t see that.”

“Would you like me to tell you a story?” he asked her tenderly, as he placed a hand on hers. When she gave him an incredulous look he grinned, “Don’t knock it until you try it, Love.”

Emma nodded, as she laid down on the bed once more. He stroked her face tenderly, as he began to speak.

“A long time ago there was a boy. He wasn’t a prince or the son of a nobleman. He was the son of a conman. And this boy often found himself wanting to experience a grand journey, but he was told on more than one occasion that he was far too young. That his time would come one day, but he needed to wait until he was grown. But this boy was impatient. The seas were vast and the land went on for miles. He wanted to travel; to experience it all. And so one day he decided he would set out. He would set out in the dead of the night, with no one to stop him. He packed a bag with a loaf of bread and a flask of water, and he waited until night fall.”

Emma glanced over, wondering if Killian was talking about himself.

“But his brother sensed his movement in the night and awoke. He snuck after his younger brother, and demanded he did not go anywhere. Telling his brother that there was adventure everywhere around them, if only he knew where to look. He took his younger brother’s hand and led him through the woods behind their home, and they hiked for what felt like hours. Finally, his brother stopped, as he led his younger brother to a ledge, and told him to look past the edge. And when he did, he saw waterfalls and a beautiful valley below. He saw butterflies sparkling in the moonlight. He saw magic around him,” Killian spoke in a soothing voice.

“His brother spoke to him then, and told him to never sneak off again like that. That he would take him wherever he wanted to go, adventures and all. He told him that when they were older they would travel the seas, near and far. That they would go to other lands, and realms possibly. That they would have so many adventures.”

Killian leaned back on the bed at that, and she leaned into him.

“He believed his brother. He had never lied to the younger brother in the past. Nor was he lying now. So the two of them went home, hand in hand. And from that moment, something shifted between the two brothers. The older one saw his younger brother as an adult, and the younger brother managed to worship his brother even more. And when they went out and joined the King’s Navy years later, he knew their adventure was only beginning.”

She could feel herself dozing off at that, and Killian placed a kiss on her forehead.

“Stay,” she said softly, “Stay with me, Killian.”

He smiled softly, as he nodded as he slipped under the covers. Killian held her in his arms, and she rested her head against him. She closed her eyes, and that night her sleep was peaceful, with not a single nightmare in sight.


End file.
